babble

[ bab-uhl ]

verb (used without object)

, bab·bled, bab·bling.

1. to utter sounds or words imperfectly, indistinctly, or without meaning.
2. to talk idly, irrationally, excessively, or foolishly; chatter or prattle.

   Synonyms: blather, drivel, gabble, chitchat

3. to make a continuous, murmuring sound.

   Synonyms: burble, gurgle, murmur

verb (used with object)

, bab·bled, bab·bling.

1. to utter in an incoherent, foolish, or meaningless fashion.
2. to reveal foolishly or thoughtlessly:

   to babble a secret.

noun

1. inarticulate or imperfect speech.
2. foolish, meaningless, or incoherent speech; prattle.
3. a murmuring sound or a confusion of sounds.
4. babbling ( def 2 ).
5. Telecommunications. a confused mixture of extraneous sounds in a circuit, resulting from cross talk from other channels. Compare cross talk ( def 1 ).

babble

/ ˈbæbəl /

verb

1. to utter (words, sounds, etc) in an incoherent or indistinct jumble
2. intr to talk foolishly, incessantly, or irrelevantly
3. tr to disclose (secrets, confidences, etc) carelessly or impulsively
4. intr (of streams, birds, etc) to make a low murmuring or bubbling sound

noun

1. incoherent or foolish speech; chatter
2. a murmuring or bubbling sound

Derived Forms

• ˈbabblement, noun
• ˈbabbling, nounadjective

Other Words From

• outbabble verb (used with object) outbabbled outbabbling

Word History and Origins

Origin of babble¹

First recorded in 1200–50; Middle English babelen; cognate with Old Norse babbla, Dutch babbelen, German pappelen

Word History and Origins

Origin of babble¹

C13: compare Dutch babbelen , Swedish babbla , French babiller to prattle, Latin babulus fool; probably all of imitative origin

Example Sentences

Never mind that he constantly babbles, wouldn’t sit down for the interview with “60 Minutes” and lies constantly.

From Salon

"Have you got Tourette's or something? You know, you just sit there, babble, babble, babble," he said, responding to the interruptions.

From BBC

He has the whole press corps acting as his ghostwriter, sanitizing his babble for the public.

From Salon

Hell, even Chuck Schumer, who rarely has the energy to do more than babble incoherently while sounding like a cicada, was semi-energetic on stage.

From Salon

But until she signed up for “Palm Royale,” she had never tackled a role that would require her to spend a large chunk of time speaking in incomprehensible babble.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• blubber
• burble
• mumble
• murmur
• mutter